Chapter 64: Jianghu Beauty List
Everyone was confused, watching Wen Yao walk around a group of monks and stride out.
His Royal Highness Prince Yan suddenly tensed up.
Who is it this time?
Zhao Xuanxu's hands in his sleeves moved slightly, and a sense of vigilance and jealousy subconsciously arose in his heart.
A Yao was excellent at everything he did, except making friends. Few of them had good intentions. Both men and women, openly and covertly, were trying to pry people away from him. When Lou Chengyi left, Jiang Qiaosheng arrived, and in Bianliang, there was even a ghost market owner. Even now, if you visit Gusu, you'll still run into tons of them.
It's really disappointing.
The yamen runner led Wen Yao to the small gate. Wen Yao stepped over the threshold with great enthusiasm. Looking up, he saw a figure sitting in the corner with his head buried in the ground, pulling at some grass roots. His back alone revealed a depressed and irritable look. Hearing the noise, the figure raised his head from his knees, revealing a face that seemed to be half laughing and half crying, and called out twice: "Wen, Wen——"
Wen Yao walked up, grabbed Bai Xiaosheng by the collar and dragged him into the government office.
"What happened?" Wen Yao looked at the dirt on Bai Xiaosheng's snow-white sleeves and patted the grass debris off his head.
Zhao Xuanxu slowly walked over and stopped, his sharp gaze sweeping over Bai Xiaosheng, scrutinizing him from face to figure. The others followed suit, and Bai Xiaosheng, suddenly surrounded by so many gazes, felt even more nervous.
"I, I'm here to give you a message." He swallowed hard, "I don't want any money."
"You still do business at a loss." Wen Yao smiled.
Bai Xiaosheng had dark circles under his eyes, stubble on his face, bloodshot eyes, and a restless tremor. She was facing the side door, her expression unchanged, but her hand on Bai Xiaosheng's shoulder was a little firmer as she whispered, "Why are you like this? Is someone following you outside?"
"No, not with me." Bai Xiaosheng's tongue trembled. "Someone kidnapped me, my apprentice, and asked me to tell you a message."
Everyone saw it.
This guy isn't nervous, he's a stutterer.
The more Yu Le thought about it, the more she felt something was wrong. She muttered, "A cave full of moss money, buying out Feng Yan... This phrase sounds so familiar." Then, a flash of inspiration hit her mind. She clapped her hands suddenly, and blurted out in shock, "Bai Xiaosheng?!"
"No, no, no, it shouldn't be." She immediately refuted herself: "He's so young, but there has always been a list of world masters..."
Moreover, Bai Xiaosheng is known for his omniscience and his ability to single-handedly compile a list of world masters. Such a person should be as resourceful and resourceful as Mr. Zhuge Liang.
The young man in front of him was frail, pale, and even a stutterer. How could he be Bai Xiaosheng?
"It's me." Bai Xiaosheng saw through Yu Le's thoughts, smiled bitterly, and bowed to Yu Le, saying, "Bai Xiaosheng is a famous name in the martial arts world. It's been passed down from generation to generation in my school."
After he finished speaking, he became anxious again: "Wen Yao, my apprentice——"
"Who kidnapped your disciple?" Wen Yao asked, "Is it related to Cihuai Temple?"
When Wen Yao asked this, Bai Xiaosheng looked at her, but suddenly hesitated again, not saying a word for a long time. After a while, he seemed to exhale a heavy breath from the bottom of his chest, closed his eyes, and said with a desperate look, "The ones who captured my disciple are the remnants of the Mo-Mo Society!"
The courtyard was quiet. As Bai Xiaosheng finished speaking, a gust of wind blew by, and the grass and trees swayed.
Desert meeting.
Jiang Qiaosheng and Yu Le's expressions changed at the same time, and they looked at Wen Yao in an instant.
Their reaction was so intense and obvious that even the other people in the courtyard who had never heard of Mo Hui's name could sense that something was wrong.
Zhao Xuanxu pursed his lips, his eyes dark.
Desert meeting?
Another thing he didn't know.
Wen Yao lowered the hand that was resting on Bai Xiaosheng's shoulder, frowned, tilted his head, and repeated his words doubtfully: "Mo Hui?"
"But I clearly sharpened the Xingyi Sword with their blood." She said calmly, "They told me to kill them all."
"Indeed, they are the remnants of the Mo Society." Bai Xiaosheng was nervous, his hands scratching at his sleeves again. "Something happened in Gusu City, so I took my disciples to explore the situation. Everything was fine before, but last night, they arrested my disciples and asked me to come find you. I wonder if it has anything to do with Cihuai Temple."
Wen Yao nodded thoughtfully: "Okay, tell me, where are they?" Her thumb unconsciously pressed on the Xingyi Sword, and her fingertips gently brushed across the cold and hard raised patterns on the scabbard.
"Two days later, Huifeng Cliff." Bai Xiaosheng added, "They said you can only go up alone."
Probably whenever robbers threaten someone, they always add this sentence.
Wu Peiming's brow furrowed as he listened, feeling that this statement was malicious and that Wen Yao's hasty agreement was too risky. He looked up at Zhao Xuanxu, who stood with his hands behind his back, his face expressionless and his brows furrowed. He must have disapproved. Wu Peiming expected him to speak up, but in the end, Zhao Xuanxu simply looked at Wen Yao and agreed without hesitation, without saying a word.
The prefect came to investigate the case, but he failed to solve the case. Instead, he involved a kidnapping case.
Qiu Huiying couldn't help sighing and asked, "What should we do now?"
"No big deal." After sending Bai Xiaosheng away, Wen Yao remained calm, showing no signs of aversion. He said, "If they want me to go in two days, then I'll go in two days. Now, why don't we investigate whether there's any connection between the porter and the musician? I honestly don't think it's likely that two unrelated people would die together in Cihuai Temple."
Qiu Huiying: "Actually, it's not completely unrelated."
According to the information gathered, the musician lying in the room worked in Xianfeng Tower in Gusu City. He played music on weekdays in the evenings, and when there were weddings or funerals in the city, he would play happy or funeral music for them.
"He's a hardworking man, but he has one bad habit. He likes to gamble and often goes to the gambling house." Qiu Huiying said, "He sold away our two acres of thin land and some of our property. Now that he's gone, his wife, son, and daughter are left to look after the little property. I'm afraid life will be even harder for them."
The name "gambling house" immediately sounded like a place where people would be murdered over gambling debts. But Qiu Huiying's next words dispelled this notion: "But this musician is a coward. He always pays back the money promptly, so the amount he owes the gambling house isn't large. There's no need to kill someone for such a small sum of money."
Wen Yao nodded and said, "The porters also go to the gambling house?"
"No, he's a perfectly honest man. He never quarrels with anyone, and he doesn't have any bad habits," Qiu Huiying said. "On weekdays, he helps the store pick up groceries. He also goes to the gambling houses every day to deliver prepared food. But we've already checked the gambling houses, and they have no reason to kill anyone. We found nothing."
Wen Yao fumbled with the Xingyi Sword again and said, "Then let's go to the gambling house again."
Gusu City has been a prosperous place since ancient times, and this statement is absolutely true. A special street in the neighborhood market is dotted with gambling houses of all sizes. And because they are not under the emperor's rule and pay taxes on time, they can openly operate on the street. Unlike in Bianliang, most gambling houses are located in the ghost market. Only when they enter the ghost market and put on masks can the important figures who usually appear respectable dare to engage in such unseemly activities.
The yamen runner pointed to a gambling house in front and said, "This is the last place where the musicians were seen."
Seeing the black and red clothes of the yamen runners, the two thugs at the gambling house door shuddered and changed their expressions. One of them pushed open the door and entered the house, while the other approached and tried to say something nice.
Wen Yao raised his sword and waved him away, then took two steps high and kicked the door. With a loud bang, the two sturdy wooden doors of the gambling house broke apart and slammed against the wall on both sides, leaving several cracks at the joints.
really.
Behind Wen Yao, everyone had an idea in their mind.
He is indeed angry.
Wen Yao had a carefree and carefree personality, never burdening herself with burdens. Even when she felt unhappy, she would usually go to sleep and drink, never letting the anger build up inside her. But this time, the word "Mo Hui" was like a lid on a boiling pot of oil, suppressing the violent movement underneath. Instead of calming it down, it only made her more terrified.
Such an unceremonious entrance instantly captured the attention of everyone inside the gambling house. Inside, there was already a commotion. Outside, people gathered in a circle to watch the excitement, while inside, two groups stood facing each other. They all looked towards Wen Yao. Because of the sun's backlight, they couldn't immediately see who stepped in; they could only tell it was a woman.
Could it be that some lady is here to look for her husband?
The gambling house manager narrowed his eyes, still holding a knife in his hand, the tip of the knife gleaming as it pointed at the palm of the person at the table. A group of tall and strong thugs gathered around him, helping him to hold down the person at the table. He cast a glance over, and immediately sent two people towards Wen Yao: "Who are you? Do you know where this is? Hurry up-"
Wen Yao pushed away the Xingyi Sword, and the sword rang faintly. The two thugs who walked forward felt a sharp pain in their necks for no reason. They subconsciously touched their necks and saw a light pink color on their fingers.
Their hands trembled.
Blood...it's blood!
"The government is questioning us!" The bailiffs behind Wen Yao hurried forward and said, "What are you doing? Private fighting is prohibited!"
The group of people across from the casino were dressed in tight clothes, guarding a beautiful woman in flowing white. Yuan Mei looked toward the door, her gaze passing over Wen Yao and the others, landing directly on Zhao Xuanxu. A smile of surprise blossomed on her face, and she gently shook the maid's hand.
"Hey, sir, haven't you asked me this several times? I see so many people coming and going here every day, how could I possibly remember a poor musician?" The steward lowered his knife. Anyone who could make a living in a gambling house was shameless, a seasoned gangster, and could come up with a bunch of nonsense. "As for this guy, he owes a debt and won't pay it back. I'm arresting him to scare him. This isn't a private fight, sir, but scaring someone isn't illegal, right?"
Wen Yao flicked his finger, and the cold dagger quietly emerged from his sleeve. It passed quickly and quickly like lightning, grazing the steward's face and nailing him to the gambling table. The steward felt a chill on his face, and then the tiny chill quickly spread to his bones, and white sweat broke out.
His teeth chattered and clattered as he said, "You, you guys are going to kill someone—"
"I'm not from the government." Wen Yao leaned the Xingyi Sword against her arm, crossed her arms, and raised her chin slightly. She could feel her own unnaturally pounding heartbeat and anger, so she tried to relax and speak gently. "I'm just playing a legal joke with you. Don't mind, do you?"
Yuan Mei's gaze fell on Wen Yao, and her beautiful and delicate brows furrowed.
She thought the woman looked very familiar, but couldn't place her for a moment. However, she did remember one of the people behind her; they were senior disciples of the Meishan School. The Meishan School's renowned chivalrous woman, Su Ling, had married the prefect of Pingjiang Prefecture, so their presence here, along with the government officials, wasn't surprising.
She straightened her posture and looked up at the man standing behind the woman in black. An idea came to her mind, making her heart beat faster.
I heard that something happened at Cihuai Temple recently, and the government is investigating. I also heard that the emperor ordered Prince Yan to take over the case. Could he be Prince Yan?
"Today, you have to write a list." Wen Yao stepped forward, reached out and pulled out the dagger that was buried in the table, and spun the blade against his fingers. "Write down who was present on the last day of the musician's visit. Don't leave anyone out."
"This, this..." The steward's eyes were glued to the dagger, and he felt a burning pain on his cheeks: "How can you write this!"
Wen Yao lowered his eyes, twirled the dagger in his hand, and casually pointed the tip at the steward's face. He whispered, "Don't try to be cunning. We're all in the underworld, and I know exactly how many tricks you have. I told you I'm not from the government, so I won't check your accounts. No matter how much money you've smuggled in, just take out the secret book and tell me who was there that day. I'll leave after you tell me, and no one can leave today."
At this point, the steward realized that the woman before him was indeed an expert. He looked at the dagger, then at the yamen runner, and finally, gritting his teeth and trembling, he fetched a palm-sized notebook.
Gambling houses of any size usually have two books, one open and one hidden. The open book keeps track of the current situation, while the hidden book records the betting activity of regular customers. It records all sorts of information, including who has good skills, who wants to make a fortune, who is a first-time gambler but has a lot of money...
Gambling is something you can't quit once you get hooked. The gambling houses are mostly frequented by established customers, with few strangers. An experienced manager can easily tell who's coming in and what the expected night's revenue is by simply glancing around the room.
"You can take it yourself." Wen Yao said, "I won't ruin your job. Take out the paper and write. Don't miss a single one."
She was alone, and her words were well-reasoned and gentle. But the usually overbearing, vicious-dog casino manager felt frustrated and wary. He had to find the musicians' tents from their last night at the casino and start writing down their names. If they didn't have names, he'd give them nicknames and explain the meaning of each nickname to the yamen runners.
At this moment, Yuan Mei, who had been standing nearby, finally waited for her chance. She emerged gracefully from the crowd. Her white jade pendants dangled, their melodious chimes ringing out. With a smile in her eyes, she addressed Zhao Xuanxu with grace and grace, "Young Master, we meet again."
Zhao Xuanxu's gaze stopped at Wen Yao's back, motionless.
Yuan Mei's smile faded slightly, and she looked apologetic: "Those pear soups this morning...we were the ones who offended. We have never met before, yet we have met twice. Young Master and I are truly destined to be together. I hope you will not take it to heart."
At the mention of pear soup, Zhao Xuanxu finally reacted. His eyes flickered slightly, glancing at Yuan Mei's face.
Today, he rode a tall horse on the street, threw out a bag of gold and left, without even looking at the noisy people next to him, so naturally he had no impression of Yuan Mei.
But this did not prevent Zhao Xuanxu from feeling suddenly annoyed.
What is this thing?
Zhao Xuanxu was a little angry, thinking that she had just said those malicious words, which must be too bold, and she was aiming at the opportunity when he and A Yao were getting closer to each other in an attempt to alienate them.
The impatience and ferocity in his expression were too obvious. In front of everyone, Yuan Mei didn't get any response at all. The smile on her face gradually froze, and she felt a little embarrassed.
Yu Le had been so engrossed watching Wen Yao take action that she hadn't even noticed the other group standing across from her. It wasn't until Yuan Mei herself came out and called out that she turned and looked over, startled, letting out a small exclamation.
Jiang Qiaosheng heard it and looked at Yu Le: "Do you know him?"
"I've seen her, but I don't know her." Yu Le shook his head and said, "Yuan Mei from the Shanyin Yuan family. The Yuan family escort agency is huge, known as the best escort agency in the world. Yuan Mei is outstandingly beautiful, and I heard she's proficient in poetry and songs, as well as martial arts. She can also play the quxiang pipa, making her the most beautiful woman in the martial arts world."
"The most beautiful woman." Jiang Qiaosheng looked at Yuan Mei, his lips curled up. "She is indeed beautiful. But when did the Jianghu Beauty Ranking appear?"
Hongge was in a dark place, she was obsessed with killing people, usually killing clients, targets and people from Hongge. She paid little attention to the affairs of the underworld and didn't know about these things.
"Because many martial arts masters have retired in recent years, the world's top rankings have become boring. Bai Xiaosheng has come up with weapons rankings and beauties rankings...it's easy to get on the list." Yu Le rubbed her fingers together. She was a chivalrous woman, but now she looked extremely materialistic. "Just give them some money."
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